Two Thieves and One Heart
by AmandaArtiste
Summary: A fic at the later half of my "Black Cat" series. Dragonaus and Falcone are after the same powerful statue, a gang of thieves get caught in the middle, and it's up to the Mighty Ducks to save the day! This is THE Duke/Tanya romance! ^_~ R+R
1. Masked Ally

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Disclaimer: Look, I don't own The Mighty Ducks, so don't sue me cuz I ain't makin' any money off this fic. The only thing I own is this story (no plagiarizing). Happy reading everyone and be sure to review so I know what'cha think.

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Two Thieves and One Heart

Masked Ally

Life was never the same for Tanya after she revealed her mutant identity to the team. But everyone did okay with it. Occasionally Duke would work up the nerve to ask her out and that went well. Then again, Nosedive would waltz into the lab and go poking around, knock something over, and---catch the best of Tanya at her worst.

Yet, things still ran smoothly, their main priority was still the capture of Dragonaus and the Saurians. Tanya would run scans with Drake One while Mallory and Wildwing went on patrol, Jazz and Premnitia would study files and clues, Duke was usually off consulting with his 'sources', and Grin…Grin meditated on the matter.

"WHOA!" Tanya exclaimed one evening as a bleeping red dot appeared on the screen. 

Jazz and Premnitia were the only ones present at the time and both ducks looked up with curious gazes. "Something up Tanya?" Jazz inquired casually.

"I'll say," Tanya exclaimed, "we've got teleportation energy off the scales! Well…if you'll--uh--excuse the pun."

Premnitia laughed and put down the files she was sorting through, "Guess that's our cue to get out there and save the world again."

"Now this is odd." Tanya remarked as she stared at the view screen.

"What?" both teens asked.

"Well, they were there just a minute ago but…" Tanya trailed off and hit a few more keys, "It's like they just vanished!"

Premnitia plopped back down and picked up the files, "False alarm."

Jazz dashed up to the platform and hung over Tanya's shoulder, "But we shouldn't have lost that location for another twenty-nine point two seven seconds!"

"I know," Tanya agreed, "it's like they're just…gone. Wait!" she perked up as the bleeping dot reappeared.

"They're _back_…" Prem snickered.

"They must've left our universe!" Tanya gasped, "But that means…"

"Yeah," Jazz sneered, "we've got ANOTHER dimensional gateway to destroy."

"Don't those goons ever give up?" Prem sighed.

"Doesn't look like it." Tanya grunted as the bleep headed for what she knew to be the bad part of town. 

"Hmm…" a male's voice came suddenly from the elevator, "looks like they're headed for the old haunt by Camille's Alley."

Jazz turned up her beak and glared at the ex-jewel thief, "Don't you EVER knock?"

"Hey Jazzy!" Nosedive called as he stepped out from behind Duke.

"Dive!" Jazz grinned and rushed into her boyfriend's arms, "I thought you'd be off at that comic book convention with Thrash and Mookie all day?"

"Yeah," Dive produced a small plastic bag from behind his back, "the Mr. Inferno lighters worked a little _too_ well and the sprinklers went off so they had to end the whole thing early."

Jazz shook her head and laughed, "The things people will sell for a profit."

"Speaking of sells," Nosedive opened the bag and pulled out a mint condition vo.4 copy of _The Adventures of Zontar _and handed it to his girl, "I managed to trade in a few extras of mine to get this for ya."

Jazz's jaw dropped as she looked at the rare comic in disbelief. Then her arms flew around Dive's neck as she squealed happily, "OH DIVE YOU'RE THE BEST BOYFRIEND THERE IS! NO DOUBT ABOUT IT BUDDY!" 

"You know it," he smiled as their beaks met.

"Back to reality," Duke smirked and turned to Tanya, "we'd better check out that haunt and find out what those cold blooded cowards are up to this time."

Nodding Tanya got up and swiped her claws over her chest and waist, her method of changing into thieving gear. Once her black spandex had appeared along with her utility belt she stuck the two swords across her back and followed Duke to the garage.

"I just love these sunset rendezvous with the forces of darkness." she joked as she swung a leg over the side of the Duck Cycle she and Duke were using.

Duke glanced back at her with his good eye, she looked dressed to kill in that tight fitting leotard of hers. Admittedly, he wished they'd had the night off of crime fighting. But there were lizards afoot and that meant evil schemes to foil. "You and me gotta make some time to have a little late night rendezvous sans lizards sweetheart."

Tanya laughed at Duke's usual flirtation and tightened her grip around his waist as they sped off out of the garage and towards the bad part of town, their silhouette barely noticeable against the darkening blanket of stars.

******

"Hurry up will ya?" Siege ordered as The Chameleon and Wraith monitored the Hunter Drones while they carried out Dragonaus's bidding. "Them ducks'll be here any minute."

"Well I could have foreseen that!" Wraith replied annoyed.

The drones had cleared out the haunt and were now ripping up floorboards, overturning tables, and shredding the walls. It was obvious the Saurians were looking for something.

"Well?!" Siege bellowed, "Where is it?!"

"I swear," the Chameleon whined, "we tailed the thief right here!"

"The blaggard must've disposed of it among this wretched tavern somewhere." Wraith insisted, "He certainly didn't take it back to that accursed Pond."

Siege growled deep within his throat and opened his communicator, "Lord Dragonaus."

"Have you found it yet?" Dragonaus demanded just as soon as his image appeared.

"Not yet my lord." Siege confessed, "But don't worry. Wherever he hid it, we'll find it soon enough. He's not goin' anywhere without the other half and he'll need our bait for that!"

Siege looked back at the woman struggling against the firm grip of two Hunter Drones as Dragonaus replied, "You had better be right Siege, or it will be your scales!"

The communicator deactivated and the orange lackey approached the female raccoon as she jerked herself further out of the drones' clutches. "Forget it girly," Siege laughed, "you're not goin' anywhere and there's nothin' that can save you now."

"HA!" she mocked, "Racco will knock your whole species back into that dimensional prison for this! No one outsmarts The Ringers."

Chameleon chimed in as the drones continued to search, "Oh yeah! Well your boy toy doesn't even know how to find our ship so nah!"

Rischa narrowed her black masked eyes, "Racco's got connections ya oversized gecko, he'll find ya and teach ya some manners, you just wait!"

Before another exchange of insults could take place Wraith grinned menacingly as the drones found what they'd been searching for, "Ah…here it is, the tail of the Jade Salamander. Said to produce the power of electrical conductivity."

"Great," Siege huffed, "now all we need is the rest of the darn statue and Dragonaus can rule the world."

"And I got dibs on Australia!" Chameleon added.

Rischa squirmed in the metal grasp of the drones when suddenly headlights shone through the shattered window. "Looks like it's curtains for you boys!"

"The ducks!" Siege exclaimed as the Duck Cycle shut off.

"We'd better take the loot and run!" Chameleon said as he and the others activated their teleporters and beat a hasty retreat with the statue and their captive.

Duke and Tanya rushed in just as the last drone disappeared, "Aw beautiful!" Duke griped, "We just missed those creeps!"

"Not exactly the kind of place you'd wanna take the family to for dinner," Tanya remarked as she looked over the shambled bar. Then she spotted something lying on the floor, a gold earring with black stripes near the bottom. She recognized the jewelry instantly, "The Ringed Gang."

"What was that?" Duke asked over his shoulder as he picked up an empty safe. 

"I'd say those lizards had company." Tanya answered walking over and handing the earring to Duke. "I know whose this is. Her name's Rischa Furband, she's a member of a gang of raccoon thieves from Rodemont 7."

"From where?"

"It's a planet in the same dimension as Felonia." Tanya replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "They may come from a dishonest trade, but they're the best allies ya could ask for. This guy named Racco leads them. Rischa's his girl, and uh, partner in crime."

"Sounds like the perfect team." Duke responded slyly. "So you think these guys would ever pull a heist for Dragonaus?"

"The Ringed Gang? Not a chance," Tanya stated firmly, "they're self employed thieves. They work for no one. Especially someone like Dragonaus who, as ya might've guessed, isn't on good terms with The Pride."

"Impressive connections ya got there sweetheart," Duke tucked the empty safe under his arm and headed back out the window with Tanya, "Guess we'd better take this back to The Pond and see what we can find out about what might've been in it."

Hopping on behind Duke she slid her clawed hands up his chest, "There's no hurry ya know. We could--uh--always take the _long_ way home."

A mischievous spark flickered in Duke's eye as he revved the engine, "Hold on tight angel, it's gonna be a bumpy ride."

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*I didn't intend to get this much written so soon, but since it's typed I went ahead and posted it. Gotta strike when the inspiration hits! Keep your eyes peeled and review cuz I'll be updating this and my other fics real soon. ^_~ *


	2. Lovers’ Quarrel

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Two Thieves and One Heart

Part 2: Lovers' Quarrel

Mallory and Wildwing sat on one of the sofas inside the Mighty Ducks' base beneath The Pond. The newscasters spoke in dreary tones as they read aloud the latest crime reports for the area. 

"In local news," the female announcer continued, "an arch enemy of Anaheim's beloved Mighty Ducks, the visiting alien hockey players, has escaped from his prison near Fredonia. Authorities believe he might pose a threat to Duke L'Orange, the gray feathered team member whose heroics ultimately led to Falcone's capture. In short folks, now is not a good time to be a duck."

"Could these newscasters _get_ any cornier?" Mallory grumbled.

"We'd better find Duke and warn him."

"Yo man, he went out on a case with Tanya." Nosedive stated walking into the room.

"What?!" Mallory and Wing gasped.

"Dive!" Wildwing scolded his younger brother, "How could you just let them run off alone like that? What about Dragonaus?!"

"Hey man chill," Dive said calmly, "Duke and Tanya can handle old lizard lips on their own. You know how those Saurian guys are. We come around, exchange a few shots, and they teleport back to their ship. Sheesh man, get with the program!"

Mallory slapped her forehead, "Nosedive, lay off the cheesy cartoon shows for a while. This is real life. And in the real world, people get hurt. You should've never let those two go off to fight crime alone."

"Yeah right," Dive laughed heading back out of the room, "like** _I _**could've stopped em."

Groaning Mallory shifted into battle mode, "We'd better go find em Wildwing."

"We'll save ya the trouble sweetheart," Duke came through the entrance with Tanya at his side. "Now what's this I hear about Falcone breaking out?"

"Just that." Wildwing answered, "He's loose. And probably out to pay you back for imprisoning him."

"Hey, he imprisoned himself when he double-crossed our home planet!" Duke snapped, "The guy never was any good. And it wasn't MY idea to let him in the gang."

"Right," Mallory remarked sarcastically, "well I guess the leader really wouldn't have that much say in who was in their mob now would they?"

Duke narrowed his eye at her, "You'd be surprised."

Placing a hand on his shoulder Tanya expressed her concern, "Duke, Falcone nearly killed you last time back in that clock tower. What's the point in giving him another shot? Maybe you should lay low for a while?"

"Ya tellin' me to turn chicken angel?" Duke seemed surprised, "I expected this from them but you? Don't tell me you don't understand the obligations I got to keep tabs on my members…even the lousy backstabbing ones."

Sighing Tanya slid her hand off his shoulder, "Fine, do what--ya know--you've gotta do."

__

Oh so now it's a guilt trip?! Duke could stand getting the third degree from Mallory, or even Wing, but when Tanya gave him those puppy dog eyes…"Look, I'll promise to be careful if you let me handle this my way Tawny. I can't let him run loose. There's no tellin' what that creep'd do to get to me."

"So you're saying you wanna do this one solo?" Tanya summarized, "No problem. I know the loner deal. Have fun being a hero L'Orange." 

Duke's jaw dropped as he watched her walk out, head held high and no trace of concern for him. _Beautiful, I've really done it now. She even called me L'Orange insteada Duke._

A smug grin lined Mallory's beak. She wasn't fond of thieves, this was true. But Tanya was her best friend before the whole thievery thing came into light, and her reasons for getting into larceny had---in Mal's opinion---been far nobler than Dukes. And nothing brightened her day more than seeing Tanya put Duke in his place. Honestly, sometimes it was like he thought himself to be above the team. What were teammates for if not to strategize together? The Mighty Ducks looked out for each other both on AND off the ice. At least now Duke would get taken down a notch or two off his mob boss high horse.

"Oh I just _know _you're lovin' this!" he spat to Mallory and darted out after Tanya.

"Are Grin and I the only members of this team that _don't_ delight in torturing the others?" Wildwing grunted heading back to the sofa.

"Some members deserve it." Mallory insisted sitting next to him.

"Don't start **that** again." Wing eyed her. The issue of Duke's past was not one that the team needed to face again.

******

An avian in a black tank top, matching pants, and red cape entered the old haunt where Dragonaus' thugs had pilfered his hidden treasure. 

"NO!" Falcone cried in utter rage. "That's twice that second rate schemer has usurped me from my rightful title as greatest thief of all!"

He'd have to get craftier now. Breaking out of prison had been a synch, once the authorities had felt comfortable enough to lower the guard around his cell. But this heist, it was going to require skill, even more than the ones where he'd stolen the world's biggest jewels upon his first trip to Earth. But things would be different this time, oh yes, instead of working under the pretence of helping Dragonaus he'd be on his own. Just the way he liked it.

"Once I have that statue and the power it holds," he plotted aloud, "I'll have all I require to claim my rightful place among thieves, and then, I'll humiliate and _destroy_ Duke L'Orange."

******

It was three in the morning when another 'visitor' arrived on Earth. His calculations were a bit off, but then again, math had never really been his best subject. This particular individual, specialized in street smarts.

"Darn Iflix, he said it'd take me right inside their hideout." glancing over at the building behind him Racco decided the best way to enter The Pond would be through the ventilation ducts.

Tanya threw herself across her bed, engrossed in a book about medieval sorcery and knights while Duke stood on the other side of her locked door begging for her understanding.

"C'mon angel," he moaned, "ya know there are just some things that I need ta take care of on my own."

"Then go take care of them!" she replied hotly, "Just don't expect me to fuss over you when ya come back with a blade in your back because they were too important for me and the team to get involved with!"

__

This isn't goin' very well. Duke realized, "Look Tanya, I'll be careful okay? Just don't get all bent outta shape about me going out lookin' for Falcone. I've done riskier things than this before. Danger's nothing new to me."

"I'm no stranger to it myself Duke!"

"Yeah, but I don't want 'cha gettin' hurt just cuz some maniac with a sword's out to slice my feathers!" This was fast turning into their most heated argument.

"I'm not some two bit rookie Duke L'Orange!" Tanya spat, "I know how to handle myself around thieves, I've been one for a good portion of my life ya know?!"

"I know." Duke leaned his head against the door, never mind that it was messing up his 'do.

Groaning she went back to her book. What was it with men? Couldn't they come off their big macho man trip long enough to admit they could use a little help with stuff? When you're a member of a team there's no such thing as a solo fight. In Tanya's mind, if someone challenged Duke, they took on the WHOLE team. That's what teammates were for---support, loyalty, and friendship. No way was she going to let him go out there and potentially get himself killed with a clear conscience. Not when he could take the smart way about dealing with this. It was like Grin was always saying, '_No duck is an iceberg_.'

__

Just a few more seconds…Duke was telling himself as he proceeded to pick Tanya's lock. _This ain't somethin' I'm gonna argue with her about from behind a steel door. If we're gonna fight about it, we'll at least do it face-to-face._

Tanya's mutation gave her the sensitive hearing of a feline, thus she heard Duke picking the lock. "I take it you're not used to being shut out by a girl." she taunted. "Guess I'm not as big a pushover as you would've liked."

__

Oh she's in for it now.

It's so easy to get under his feathers.

Barging through the door he stormed up to Tanya and towered over her. "Put the book down sweetheart, we're gonna settle this one now."

"I've already told you Duke." Tanya stated in a tone that said she couldn't care less, "If you insist on going out there to get yourself killed, you won't be doing it with my blessing."

Taking her by the wrists he pulled her up to him, "Why are you being so difficult about this, eh?"

"Am I supposed to be happy that you don't want me with you to guard your back against a snake like Falcone?!" she burst out, baring both claws and fangs.

"So now it's mutant mode huh?" it was dangerous to get Tanya this riled up but she had to understand that he had certain responsibilities to The Brotherhood. Especially when a guy like Falcone went and made the whole mob look bad. "Go ahead then, lash out on me. Then maybe when you're all done we can discuss this like reasonable adults!"

Jerking away she snatched the book she'd been reading off the bed, "You mean like normal ducks. Well here's a newsflash Duke, WE'RE NOT NORMAL DUCKS! We're a notorious jewel thief and a mutant mob leader. People like us will NEVER be normal! Normal people don't have to worry about crooks like Falcone hunting them down for showing them up in criminal activities. Normal people aren't mutants and they certainly don't date them! Normal people don't claim to be ex-thieves and still lead mobs back on their home planets You may have given up committing crimes Duke L'Orange but you didn't give up on leading criminals!"

"Hey! Those guys just so happen to be good friends of mine. I'd think you of all people would understand that!" Duke shouted back. The others had probably huddled outside the door by now but he didn't care, he was settling this and anything else that came up, even if it took til noon to do it!

"I do understand it Duke and you know that."

"Then why's it so hard for you to understand why I've gotta do this on my own?"

"Why can't you understand the concept of teammates??"

"Cuz it puts you all at risks that ya really don't need to be takin."

"We all knew the risks when we joined up," Tanya reminded him, "The only thing that gets us in trouble is forgetting why we're a team. That's why Nosedive and I nearly suffocated in that museum vault."

__

Ya had to go and bring up the Pacific Museum vault. Duke knew where this would lead. It was a touchy subject alright and if Mallory was listening, she probably had an ear to ear grin sayin' 'I told ya so!' plastered on her face. "I was off swapping those jewels Tanya, I had no idea he'd backed you both into a vault."

"You would've if you hadn't ditched us back at the entrance." Tanya managed to say despite the lump forming in her throat. No time like the present to get something like this off her chest.

__

Now what L'Orange? Duke asked himself, _You've really backed yourself into a corner this time._

"Tanya I-"

"You know what, just spare me your half-cocked heroic ethics Duke." she was sick of this, the more she thought about the museum and Falcone the more disgusted she got with her boyfriend's behavior. Tossing the book into the wastebasket she motioned for him to go, "As far as I'm concerned…chivalry's dead."

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*ARG! Duke blew it! It seems that darn museum incident's always coming back to haunt him. _ But don't worry. I'm a sucker for romance so the pair's not through yet. ^_~ But it might take a little jealously to make Duke wanna be a fulltime team player. Reviews are appreciated.*


	3. He Knew Her When

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Two Thieves and One Heart

Part 3: He Knew Her When…

Tanya sat alone in her room after Duke left, pushing his way through the hall full of teammates. It wasn't the fact that they had fought that made her want to cry, what really tore her apart was the hopelessly apologetic look that Duke had given her when she told him that chivalry was dead. She may as well have run him through.

Burying her face in her hands she started to weep silently, glad that no one had come in to check on her. This was one of the those times where she just wanted to be alone. Too bad she wasn't…

"Hiya sister, what's new?" a familiar voice called from the air vent above her dresser.

Startling a bit she looked up in time to see Racco, the flirtatious ally from Rodemont 7, drop down from the vent. "Whoa now, what are the tears for doll?"

"Figured you be dropping by," Tanya responded, whipping her eyes. "What took ya so long?"

"Iflix," Racco grumbled, "that nutcase set my teleporter wrong…AGAIN!"

"Keep your voice down," Tanya cautioned, scooting over and making room for him to sit down on the bed, "I guess you know about Rischa."

"Yeah," anger flashed in Racco's eyes, "Draggy's got my girl and I aim to get her back safe and sound, ya know?"

"Lemme guess," Tanya sighed, "you need my help to do it."

"No," Racco leaned in closer, "just wanted myself a pretty traveling companion in the meantime."

Jerking away Tanya turned her beak up, "Rischa should really keep you on a leash."

"Just a little ally humor beautiful." Racco teased. "Ya know I wouldn't dream of taking on that slime ball without ya."

"Let's get one thing straight," Tanya seethed grabbing Racco by the collar and pulling him down eye level, "I'm doin' this for Rischa, NOT you."

"I got'cha sweets." Racco nodded. Tanya released him and he fell backwards onto the bed, "I do like'em feisty."

"Could you live without annoying me?"

"Sure, but it wouldn't be as much fun." Racco chuckled. "I'll be good. Just help me out here. For Rischa, I know."

Swiping her claws across her torso Tanya quick-changed into another, less torn, black leotard. Clamping her utility belt back on and placing the swords across her back she turned and glared at the raccoon, "Let's do this."

"Now yer talkin'."

******

Two seconds after Racco and Tanya had vanished Duke came back into Tanya's room with a bouquet of roses and a well rehearsed apology. "Tanya, sweetheart, I-"

His eyes darted around the empty room, "Tanya? Hey, what's goin' on here?"

Jazz and Mallory walked by the room and saw L'Orange standing there, "What's up Duke?" Jazz grinned. "Lose your lady friend?"

"Very funny," he jeered, "where'd she go?"

"She's not in the lab." Mallory shrugged, "Maybe she stepped out for a little while. You know Tanya, she can't resist a moonlit walk."

Duke headed out past them hoping to catch up to Tanya before she wandered too far away, "So now you're trying to get them to stay together?" Jazz cocked an eyebrow at Mallory's 'moonlit walk' suggestion.

Sighing Mallory stared after Duke, "Just because I think he's not a 100% changed duck doesn't change the fact that Tawny still loves him. I'm doing this for her. Now let's talk about you and Nosedive," Mallory snickered, slinging an arm around Jazz's shoulder and changing the subject, "you know you could do a _whole_ lot better than that birdbrain."

Wincing Jazz wished she'd kept her beak shut.

******

Back at the Raptor the Saurians were setting a trap for Falcone. It was obvious that he knew of the power the Jade Salamander possessed, he had gone to great lengths to hide the tail of the statue, which he had stolen from a rare arts collector. Now he would need Rischa, the second in command of The Ringed Gang (or The Ringers, for short), to use as bait to persuade Racco (the leader) to hand over the rest of the statue.

"You came close to gettin' yer scales blown off one time tonight," Rischa was yelling as they hoisted her above a vat of boiling lava, "it won't be long before you guys are nothin' but a happily forgotten memory in the book of crime!"

"She just keeps talkin' and talkin'…" Chameleon muttered as he opened the lid on the vat.

Dragonaus entered the room and gazed up menacingly at the annoyed captive, "Welcome to the Raptor my dear. I trust you'll enjoy your stay."

"If I thought my aim was good enough," Rischa began, "I'd spit right in yer eye ya sorry waste of lighting fluid!"

A stream of smoke poured from Dragonaus' nostrils, "I think you'll sing a different tune once Chameleon turns you into road kill stew."

"HA!" she countered, "Ya wouldn't dare harm a hair on my head. Destroy me and you'll NEVER get yer hands on the rest of the Jade Salamander."

"I hate it when she has a point." Chameleon cringed to Dragonaus.

"As soon as your boyfriend gets here with that statue," Dragonaus growled, "I'll dunk you both into this vat and seer the fur from your hides!"

******

Falcone watched the scene unfold from his perch above the security units. "As if a few high tech cameras could stop my brilliance." he gloated.

He could see the scenario now, he kidnapped Rischa, held her for ransom (which would be the price of one jade reptilian statue), and then got Duke to steal back the tail for him. Falcone wagered it would be much easier to take the tail from The Mighty Ducks as opposed to swiping it back from the Saurians.

"And with the power that statue will give me…I'll outfox Duke L'Orange and be declared _the greatest thief of all_!"

******

Racco and Tanya 'borrowed' one of the Duck Cycles and used Racco's tracking unit to locate the Raptor. They were a few miles away from it's current position when Tanya decided to do a little interrogating. 

"So--um--Racco, just what does Dragonaus want with Rischa anyway?"

"To get to me," he answered indifferently, "what else?"

Groaning she tried again, "Look Racco, Dragonaus is obviously after something that The Ringed Gang has, now what is it?!"

Sighing Racco bit the bullet, "Ya know how The Ringers are always out lookin' for the rarest collectibles around?"

"Psh, duh!" Tanya answered.

"Well, we might've gotten in a little over our heads this time." 

"I'm listening."

"A few days ago Iflix and Pyroid got word that an ancient Saurian artifact was being imported into our galaxy and put on display at the art museum south of Biswark." Racco explained with a hint of regret panging in his voice, "Naturally yours truly was willing and able to assist em in lifting it."

"That thing has some kind of power doesn't it?" Tanya asked, pulling into the alley behind the cloaked ship.

"I'll say it does." he replied, "Iflix reads up on the thing and it's said to possess the powers of electrical conductivity, water manipulation, and flame ignition. Now ya know that makes it a hot item and one heck of a temptation for other gangs to steal."

"But how did Dragonaus get it?"

"He didn't get it."

Tanya stopped scaling the building long enough to shoot Racco a threatening glance, "Then where is it Racco?!"

Facing the street below instead of _The Black Cat_ Racco pulled the item from a pouch on his belt, "Draggy had a ransom note ready when he sent a goon of his to come swipe my girl. And in the middle of a heist no less! The creep knocks Rischa out, she trips up the alarm fallin' down, and in the chaos of gettin' out of there I lose sight of her long enough for the jerk to haul her through a portal!"

"Sounds like a rough night." Tanya commented as she continued her climb to the window above, "But we can't let Dragonaus get his hands on that statue, if he does, no one's safe."

"Oh don't worry," Racco assured her, "it's worthless without it's tail. And that thing broke off long before the statue ever found it's way to our universe."

"Then where is it now?"

"Beats me. But hey, so long as it's not here we don't got nothin' to fear from handin' ol' Lizard Lips this statue huh?"

"Let's call that Plan B." Tanya decided climbing through the window, which had conveniently been left open.

******

Meanwhile back at The Pond Duke had been searching everywhere for his irked lovebird. After hours of checking her favorite haunts he was starting to get worried. The sun was up when the others assembled around Drake One.

"Any sign of her?" Wing asked Mallory who, for all her loathing of machines, was rapidly scanning the area for any signs of her signal.

"Yeah," Mallory grunted, "according to the homing beacon, she's still in her room."

"Ah beautiful," Duke moaned, "she must've headed out without her communicator."

"But why would she do that?" Premnitia wondered.

"Because of me." Duke clenched his fists, "I had ta go and be a jerk to her earlier and now she's missin'. Boy that'll teach me to wanna fly solo."

"We don't know for sure yet that anything's wrong." Wildwing insisted optimistically, "Maybe she's just blowing off some steam right now. I know she's usually home by morning but who knows…she could just be visiting Felonia."

"Without her crystal bracelets?" Jazz asked, darting into the room holding up Tanya's teleportation crystals.

Murmuring something along the lines 'or maybe she's a prisoner of those dirty Saurian sleazebags' Wildwing remembered the safe that Duke and Tanya had recovered the previous night. "Duke, did you two ever get a chance to find out what was in that safe?"

"Nah, Tanya was doing an analysis or something of a few chips that were left in the bottom. The program wasn't finished deciphering them when we came in the Rec Room and started talkin' with you and Mal."

"Whoa." Jazz perked up, "I bet I can hack into the files and see what the results were myself!"

"Go for it." Mallory said getting out of the way so Jazz could search the files on Drake One.

In a matter of minutes the results displayed themselves on the giant screen, with a triumphant, "I'm in!", Jazz pulled up the readings and managed to get a picture of the statue the chips were thought to have originated from.

"Looks like some kind of lizard." Mallory commented.

"Why am I not surprised." Nosedive mumbled.

Grin noted the exquisite gem from which it was carved. "A jade lizard?"

"The Jade Salamander!" Duke burst out. "That thing was a target prize for The Brotherhood about a year before Dragonaus appeared!"

"Why am **_I _**not surprised?" Mallory rolled her eyes.

"What can ya tell us about it Duke?" Wing inquired.

Rubbing a hand beneath his beak Duke thought for a moment, "Not much, just that it was said to have all these powers with stuff like electricity, water, and fire. Some Saurian sorcerer forged it ages ago and Drake Ducaine hid it near the same mysterious location as the mask. Archeologists stumbled onto it back home not long before Canard found the mask. The thing was being shipped to some gallery when me and my boys intercepted it. Falcone was still a member back then and as much of a hot headed rookie as ever. The bungling boob nearly got himself shot when those guards in the armored vehicle leapt out. In the skirmish he dropped the statue and only managed to hold on to the tail. I'll bet he's still got the thing."

"What happened to the rest of the statue?" Grin asked.

"Last I heard it got lost in a cargo of valuables that the Saurians traded with some other dimensional allies of theirs on the interstellar black market. Those traders probably sold it to some museum in whatever universe they were from for twice what it was worth." Duke finished.

"But if it was the tail that was inside that safe then Falcone's lost it to Dragonaus." Mallory noted, "You don't suppose he's somehow gotten his hands on the rest of the statue too?"

"I don't know." Duke shook his head, "But something tells me Tanya's up to her neck in all this. She was tellin' me about this gang of thieves from Rodemont 7 that were allies of The Pride. We found this earring near the safe ya see and it belongs to Rischa, the second in command. And if _they _have the statue-"

"The Saurians could be using this Rischa for bait. And if the gang's found Tanya and asked for her help…" Jazz mused, "…then she's in for one heck of a fight if Dragonaus gets his claws on the rest of the statue."

"And let's not forget that Falcone's still out there hunting for Duke and probably the statue too." Premnitia added.

"Oh boy," Dive moaned rushing to the hanger with the rest of the team, "it's gonna be one of those days."

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*Yay! I'm updating quicker! ^_^ Glad to see this story's getting reviews. Thanks for the comments everyone, keep them comin'!*


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